Ultrastructural and transmission evidence of Sarcocystis cruzi associated with eosinophilic myositis in cattle.

Skeletal muscle, diaphragm, tongue, esophagus and heart of beef carcasses that were condemned for eosinophilic myositis and those that were unaffected were collected at an abattoir in Colorado and studied to determine the involvement of Sarcocystis spp. All affected carcasses contained similar granulomatous lesions with adjacent infiltrations of leukocytes. Intact or fragments of sarcocysts were found within 32 of 363 granulomas, and whole sarcocysts were present in nearby unaffected muscle cells. Light and electron microscopic examinations revealed that sarcocysts, affected or unaffected by cellular response in condemned carcasses, as well as those found in unaffected carcasses, were consistent with those of S. cruzi. Transmission experiments confirmed that S. cruzi were present in all carcasses, and that dogs, but not cats, were the definitive hosts. The results of pepsin-HCl digestion assays showed that unaffected carcasses that were approved for human consumption generally contained more infective parasites than carcasses that were condemned for eosinophilic myositis. This study provides evidence to support the suggestion that dogs, rather than cats, and unaffected rather than eosinophilic myositis-affected carcasses, have greater potential for contributing to the perpetuation of eosinophilic myositis in the cattle industry.     

Evaluation of rapid gross visual appraisal of swine lungs at slaughter as a diagnostic screen for enzootic pneumonia.

A rapid gross visual appraisal of enzootic pneumonia lesions was made of 87 lungs at a local abattoir and the lungs were then set aside and examined in more detail. A sample of pulmonary tissue was taken from each lung and submitted for bacterial and histological examination. The principal investigator who had performed the gross and detailed lung scores was then used to assess the agreement of two inspectors who were scoring lung lesions in the abattoir. The Pearson's correlation coefficient between grossly scored lungs and scores derived from a detailed examination was 0.94. Using histological examination as the gold standard, rapid gross examination had a sensitivity of 76% and a specificity of 71%. Using bacterial recovery as a gold standard yielded a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 51%. The sensitivity and specificity of inspectors 1 and 2 compared to the principal investigator were: sensitivity = 97.5% and specificity = 97.4% for inspector 1, and 97% and 98% for inspector 2. The kappa values for both of the inspectors compared to the principal investigator were 0.95 suggesting that designated lay inspectors consistently agreed with the principal investigator.     

Lesions in the carcasses and viscera of very young slaughter calves condemned at post-mortem meat inspection

The carcasses of 370 very young slaughter calves condemned for various diseases and defects at routine post-mortem meat inspection were subjected to further and more detailed macroscopic examination as well as histopathological examination of some tissues. Of the carcasses examined, 138 were condemned for navel ill, and in the majority of these cases the lesions extended beyond the umbilicus, particularly involving the umbilical vein and the urachus. Enzootic pneumonia was the most common cause of pleuritic lesions in the carcass, and 75 carcasses were condemned for this lesion. Arthritis, whether localised or involving a number of joints, was the primary lesion in 32 carcasses. Focal interstitial nephritis was observed in the kidneys of 36 carcasses, while 23 carcasses were condemned for wounds and bruising. A number of other miscellaneous diseases and defects, including generalised peritonitis, jaundice, hepatic abscesses and fever, were observed at low rates in condemned carcasses. Resolution or localisation of lesions had occurred at the time of slaughter on average in 35% of the condemned carcasses and the judgment of total condemnation was difficult to justify on a scientific basis and would not have been applied to other classes of slaughtered livestock. In the case of wounds and bruising, 95.6% of the carcasses could have been trimmed. There was also considerable variation in the likely pathogenesis and systemic effects of the diseases and defects observed. A need for clear and specific judgment criteria to be applied to the carcasses of very young slaughter calves at post-mortem meat inspection was identified.     

Bovine tuberculosis: prevalence and diagnostic efficacy of routine meat inspection procedure in Woldiya municipality abattoir north Wollo zone, Ethiopia

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is a widespread and endemic disease of cattle in Ethiopia posing a significant threat to public health. Regular surveillance by skin test, bacteriology, and molecular methods is not feasible due to lack of resources. Thus, routine abattoir (RA) inspection will continue to play a key role for national surveillance. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Woldiya municipal abattoir from April 1, 2009 to April 5, 2010 to estimate the prevalence of BTB in slaughtered cattle on the basis of detailed abattoir inspection and to compare efficacy of RA inspection with respect to detailed abattoir inspection and isolation and identification of Mycobacterium. Diagnostic accuracies (with corresponding measures of statistical uncertainty) were determined by computing test property statistics (sensitivity and specificity). Agreement between RA and detailed abattoir inspections was measured using kappa statistics. Out of 1,029 slaughtered heads of cattle examined during the study period, 63 (6.12 %) and 15 (1.45 %) were diagnosed with gross tuberculous lesions by detailed abattoir meat inspections and RA meat inspections, respectively, making a prevalence of 6.12 % (95 % CI: 5.2–7.1) on the basis of detailed abattoir inspection. About 59.45 % of tuberculous lesions were observed in the lungs and associated lymph nodes, whereas 35.13 % lesions were from the lymph nodes of the head. From 63 cattle suspected with tuberculosis (TB) based on detailed abattoir meat inspection, nine (19.05 %) were identified as Mycobacterium bovis, while three (4.8 %) as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The sensitivity of RA meat inspection was 23.8 % in comparison to the detailed abattoir meat inspection and 25 % in comparison to culture, respectively. Poor agreement (k?=?0.37) was seen between RA meat examination and detailed abattoir meat examination methods. Similarly, poor agreement (k?=?0.013) was seen between RA meat examination and culture results. In conclusion, relatively higher prevalence (6.12 %) was recorded in Woldiya municipal abattoir on the basis of detailed Abattoir inspection and RA meat inspection protocols currently utilized in Ethiopia which are insufficient to detect the majority (76.19 %) of TB lesions at the gross level, which indicates the magnitude of meat borne zoonotic TB as an ongoing risk to public health. Detailed abattoir inspection protocols were demonstrated to improve the detection level by approximately fourfold. In conclusion, routine meat inspections have limitations in detecting BTB-suggestive lesions which indicate the magnitude of meat-borne zoonotic TB as an ongoing risk to public health.     

Measurement of serum haptoglobin in neonatal farm-raised and bob veal calves using two immunoassay methods

Two immunoassays using an anti-bovine haptoglobin monoclonal antibody, Hap 1, were used to measure serum haptoglobin levels in neonatal farm-raised and bob veal calves. Bob veal calves were grouped into condemned, normal, and icteric groups based on the appearance of the carcass and viscera at postmortem examination. The competitive inhibition assay was more sensitive than the direct hemoglobin binding assay in detecting low levels of haptoglobin in all groups of calves. A significant number of bob veal calves with gross postmortem lesions other than icterus had detectable haptoglobin levels. The low levels of haptoglobin that were detected were not useful in distinguishing the relative severity of the inflammatory or degenerative process; however, the predictive values of a positive and negative test suggest haptoglobin measurement may be useful as a supplemental tool in evaluating the health status of the neonatal calf.     

Effects of high-oil corn on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, fatty acid profiles, beef palatability, and retail case life traits of beef top loin steaks

Our objective was to compare the effects of feeding steam-flaked, high-oil corn with normal steam-flaked corn to which yellow grease was added to equalize dietary fat on performance and carcass characteristics of finishing beef steers, and palatability, retail case life, and fatty acid composition of strip loins. Angus steers (n = 120; initial BW = 288 kg) were allotted to dietary treatments consisting of 1) normal mill-run, steam-flaked corn plus added fat (NMR) or 2) high-oil, steam-flaked corn (HOC) and assigned randomly to pens (12 pens/treatment with 5 steers/pen). Performance (ADG, DMI, and G:F) was measured over time, and cattle were shipped to a commercial abattoir for collection of carcass data after 165 d on feed. Carcass data were collected at 48 h postmortem on all carcasses, and 2 carcasses from each pen were selected randomly for collection of strip loins (IMPS #180A). At 14 d postmortem, 4 steaks (2.54 cm thick) were removed for retail display, trained sensory panel analysis, Warner-Bratzler shear force determination, and fatty acid analysis. Daily BW gain was greater (P = 0.03) and G:F was increased 8.4% (P = 0.01) for steers fed NMR compared with HOC, but DMI was not affected (P > 0.10) by treatment. No treatment differences were observed (P > 0.10) for HCW, 12th-rib fat, KPH, and yield grade. Marbling scores were greater (P = 0.01) for NMR than for HOC, and LM area tended (P = 0.07) to be greater in NMR than in HOC carcasses. The proportion of carcasses grading USDA Choice did not differ (P = 0.77) between treatments, but a greater (P = 0.04) proportion of carcasses graded in the upper two-thirds of Choice for NMR vs. HOC. Trained sensory panel traits and Warner-Bratzler shear force values did not differ between treatments (P > 0.10), and no differences (P > 0.10) were detected for purge loss or fatty acid composition. Overall, ADG and G:F were less and marbling score was decreased, but there were no differences between treatments in beef palatability, retail case life, or concentrations of fatty acids in strip loins.     

Elevated IgG antibody to Sarcocystis cruzi associated with eosinophilic myositis in cattle

Blood sera, skeletal muscle, and cardiac muscle from 24 bovine carcasses condemned for eosinophilic myositis by US Department of Agriculture meat inspection veterinarians were compared with similar specimens from 35 random carcasses passed for human consumption. Fluorescence values determined by using a fluorometric immunoassay system were used to measure the specific antibodies to Sarcocystis cruzi. The values were significantly elevated in carcasses condemned for eosinophilic myositis as compared to carcasses passed for human consumption. The elevated fluorescence values appeared to be more than coincidental, suggesting that S. cruzi may be a causative agent of eosinophilic myositis. Microscopic examination of affected muscle revealed lesions typical of eosinophilic myositis. Lesions were characterized by extensive multifocal areas of myofiber hyaline degeneration, necrosis with sarcoplasmic fragmentation, mineralization of occasional myofibers, and atrophy of fibers with varied stages of fibrosis. Inflammatory cell exudates were predominantly eosinophils, with some macrophages and lymphocytes, and extravasated erythrocytes within, and adjacent to, affected myofibers. Affected muscles contained more S. cruzi than unaffected muscle from passed carcasses. However, a distinct cause and effect relationship could not be determined between the parasite and the presence of eosinophilic myositis.     

Percutaneous fine-needle biopsy of deep thoracic and abdominal masses in dogs and cats

Percutaneous fine-needle biopsy was used to investigate thoracic and abdominal masses in the dog and cat. One hundred and thirty-two cases were included in the study; 20 cases were excluded from the comparative study due to poor cellularity or blood contamination (retrieval rate 86.8 per cent). One hundred samples (56 dogs and 44 cats) were classified by cytology as neoplastic. All the cytological diagnoses of neoplasia were confirmed by histological samples obtained either by non-surgical methods, at surgery or during postmortem examination. No false positive diagnoses of neoplasia were made. Thirty-two samples were cytologically classified as 'negative for neoplasia'. Subsequent histological examination revealed 18 true negative and 14 false negative results. The procedure had an overall 89.4 per cent (118 cases out of 132) agreement between the diagnosis of inflammatory disease versus neoplasia, with a sensitivity of 87.8 per cent, a specificity of 100 per cent, a predictive value of a positive test of 100 per cent and a predictive value of a negative test of 56.3 per cent.     

Evaluation of Abattoir Inspection for the Diagnosis of Mycobacterium bovis Infection in Cattle at Addis Ababa Abattoir

Detailed postmortem examinations were conducted to evaluate the efficiency of meat inspection procedures and to determine the distribution of lesions in Mycobacterium bovis-infected cattle. The study involved routine inspection at slaughter, collection of tissues for detailed examination in the laboratory, and bacteriological examination to identify M. bovis. Additionally, a 10-year (1992--2001) meat inspection record was analysed to determine tuberculosis trends in the past decade. chi2-Test and simple regression were used to analyse the data. Out of 1350 cattle examined, 1.5% were found with tuberculous lesions. Routine abattoir inspection detected only 55% of cattle with confirmed lesions. Fifty-four per cent of tuberculous lesions were found in the lungs and thoracic lymph nodes, 23% in the lymph nodes of the head, and the remaining 23% in the mesenteric and other lymph nodes of the carcase. M. bovis was additionally isolated from an animal that had no gross lesions of tuberculosis. On average, the annual rate of whole-carcase condemnation due to generalized tuberculosis was 0.024% and it has increased annually by 0.34% over the past decade. The rate of whole-carcase condemnation indicates a high degree of TB transmission and requires immediate attention from both the economic and public health points of view. The lower sensitivity of routine abattoir inspection confirms the importance of improving necropsy procedures.     

Carcass condemnation causes of growth retarded pigs at slaughter

Condemnation causes of growth retarded pigs were studied in a Spanish abattoir. A total of 513 carcasses out of 6017 (8.5%) were rejected during inspection. The main reasons for condemnation were abscesses, cachexia, catarrhal bronchopneumonia, vertebral osteomyelitis, arthritis, pleuritis, peritonitis and pleuropneumonia. Positive relationships were found between tail lesions and arthritis (OR=5.23) or vertebral osteomyelitis (OR=24.81), while no relationships were found between tail lesions and abscesses. Lower risks were observed among carcasses condemned for cachexia, and were as follows: abscesses (OR=0.18), arthritis (OR=0.32), vertebral osteomyelitis (OR=0.06). Arcanobacterium pyogenes, either alone or in combination with other agents, was the main bacterial species isolated from abscesses, osteomyelitis and arthritis (73.5% of lesions). Direct economical losses associated with condemnation were calculated to be 30,000 Euro.     

A pathological and microbiological evaluation of omphalophlebitis in very young calves slaughtered in New Zealand

Omphalophlebitis, generally referred to as navel ill, is a common post-mortem meat inspection finding in very young calves slaughtered in New Zealand, and a gross pathological, histopathological and bacteriological evaluation of 147 carcasses condemned for this condition at routine post-mortem meat inspection was undertaken. Localised lesions restricted to the umbilicus alone were present in 29.9% of cases. The majority of cases included gross pathological change in the umbilical vessels and other tissue sites beyond the umbilicus. Most hepatic nodes were grossly normal but histological examination revealed that 61.5% of nodes from other than localised cases of navel ill were hyperplastic. However, there was little difference in the prevalence of hyperplastic hepatic nodes from cases of localised navel ill (21.4%) compared with normal calves (15.9%). Despite the wide range of bacteria isolated from umbilical lesions, Salmonella typhimurium recovered from the navel, liver and hepatic nodes of a single extended case of navel ill was the only isolation of known public health importance. Given the separation of cases of navel ill into different gross pathological, histopathological and microbiological categories, current meat inspection judgments whereby all calves with navel ill are condemned should be revised. In particular, routine condemnation of the carcass and viscera in all cases of localised navel ill (lesions restricted to the umbilicus alone) should be reassessed.     

Capacity building: benchmark for production of meat with low levels of bacterial contamination in local slaughterhouses in Somaliland

The objective of the study was to investigate and assess the impact of trainings on the levels of meat contamination produced from local livestock slaughter facilities in the North-West region of Somalia (Somaliland). The investigation considered slaughter facilities where workers had been trained or not. The survey was carried out in four local slaughter facilities. A pre-tested questionnaire on abattoir hygiene and food safety standards was administered to International Aid Organizations, government officials, abattoir workers and supervisors. In addition, a total of 320 surface meat swab samples were collected from randomly selected small ruminant carcasses slaughtered from four purposefully selected local slaughter facilities. The samples were analyzed at Analabs laboratories in Nairobi, Kenya, for total viable counts, total coliforms count and presence of Salmonella species. Meat contamination risk factors associated with hygiene practices based on training offered or not was identified. It was noted that slaughter facilities where abattoir workers had not received trainings on minimum meat hygiene standards and quality assurance systems of good hygiene practices and sanitary standard operating procedures produced carcasses with high levels of bacterial contamination in comparison with those where workers had received the said trainings. The laboratory results were in agreement with poor hygiene meat handling practices and lack of compliance with minimum meat hygiene and food safety standards in Berbera and Burao local livestock slaughter facilities where personnel had not been trained.     

Gross and histopathological studies on pulmonary lesions of camel (Camelus dromedarius) slaughtered at Addis Ababa abattoir,Ethiopia

This study was carried out with the aim of identifying types of gross and histopathological lesions in lungs of camels slaughtered between October 2009 and April 2010 at Addis Ababa abattoir enterprise, Ethiopia. All camels were originated from Borana and Kereyu areas. A total of 387 slaughtered camel lungs were inspected during the study period. Of which, one or more gross lesions were encountered on 300 lungs. Lesions were further subjected for detail gross and histopathological examinations. The occurrence of pulmonary lesions was 77.5%. The gross and histopathological examination of these lesions had revealed 60.2% emphysema, 21.2% hydatidosis, 18.6% pneumonia, 10.6% atelectasis, 4.9% aspiration of blood, 3.9% pneumoconiosis, 2.6% pulmonary edema and congestion, 1.6% abscess, 1% pleurisy, and 0.8% granulomatous pneumonia. Most camels had one or more pulmonary lesions on postmortem examination, but they were apparently healthy during antemortem inspection. Therefore, the prevailing stressful environmental condition coupled with the existing poor level of veterinary service in camel-rearing areas of the country might reverse these hidden inactive lesions and thereby contributed for the higher occurrence of respiratory diseases in camels.     

Prevalent organisms on ostrich carcasses found in a commercial abattoir

The prevalent microbial growth on carcasses before and after overnight cooling in an ostrich abattoir and de-boning plant was investigated. The effect of warm or cold trimming of the carcasses was examined together with possible causes of contamination along the processing line. An attempt was made to link the prevalent microorganisms that were identified from carcasses to those from specific external contamination sources. Samples of carcasses and possible contaminants were collected in the plant, plated out and selected organisms were typed using a commercial rapid identification system. It was indicated that the cold trim (mainly of bruises) of carcasses was advantageous in terms of microbiological meat quality. Results indicated pooled water in the abattoir as the most hazardous vector for carcass contamination and that contaminants from this source are mostly Gram-negative pathogens. Pseudomonas and Shigella were frequently isolated from surface and air samples and indicated that the control of total plant hygiene is a requirement for producing ostrich meat that is safe to consume and has an acceptable shelf-life.     

Slaughter stock abattoir survey of carcasses and organ/offal condemnations in Arusha region,northern Tanzania

The current study reviews a 3-year record of slaughtered animals in Arusha abattoir to determine the causes of carcasses and organ/offal condemnations. A total of 115,186 cattle, 61,551 sheep, 37,850 goats and 13,310 pigs were slaughtered. Out of the slaughtered cattle, 8.6% were pregnant. Up to 125 (0.108%), 39 (0.063%), 40 (0.106%) and 132 (0.992%) of all cattle, sheep, goats and pig carcasses, respectively, were totally condemned. Cysticercosis was the leading cause of total carcass condemnations in cattle (0.051%) and in pig (1.397%), while emaciation accounted for 0.045% and 0.074% of carcass condemnations in sheep and goats, respectively. Livers and lungs were the most condemned organs in all four animal species. The main cause of condemnations of cattle livers was fasciolosis (8.6%), while stilesiosis in sheep and goats accounted for 8.1% and 7.3%, respectively. Ascariasis (4.03%) was the only cause of liver condemnation in pigs. Pneumonia was the leading cause of lung condemnations at the rates of 3.99%, 2.43% and 2.83% in cattle, sheep and goats, respectively. Because of their zoonotic nature, occurrences of hydatidosis, cysticercosis, fasciolosis and tuberculosis may pose a public health risk. Thus, there is a need to introduce appropriate control measures of livestock diseases to minimise the rate of infection and reduce economic losses.     

Abattoir condemnation of pigs and its economic implications in Singapore

Losses due to mortality and rejection of carcases and viscera in a population of 2,959,607 pigs admitted for slaughter in Singapore abattoirs between 1984 and 1986 were studied. Mortality losses were 2822 pigs (9.5 per 10,000 admissions) while 3039 whole carcases (10.3 per 10,000 admissions) were condemned at post-mortem examination. The main reason for rejection of carcases was pyaemia (30.3%). Kidneys and livers were the two main organs of economic value rejected. Rejection of kidneys was primarily due to nephritis (54.8%) while liver condemnation was mainly due to cirrhosis (38.6%). The financial loss from abattoir rejection was S$5.27 millions or S$1.78 per pig admitted. The value of abattoir condemnation data as a tool in preventive medicine is discussed.     

Evaluation of calpastatin activity measures in ante- and postmortem muscle from half-sib bulls and steers

Calpastatin activity measured at 24 h postmortem in bovine longissimus muscle (PMLD24) is correlated with Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBS) measurements, an objective measure of tenderness. A live-animal measurement of calpastatin activity that correlates with 24-h postmortem activity would provide information for selection programs without the expense of progeny testing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of calpastatin activity measurements obtained on tissue samples from live animals and to determine the relationship among various calpastatin activity measures and tenderness determined by WBS and sensory panel. Biopsies (approximately 10 g) were obtained surgically 2 d before slaughter from the supraspinatus muscle on the anterior surface of the scapula (LISH0) from contemporary purebred Angus bulls (n = 12) and steers (n = 17). Biopsies from a subset of these cattle (n = 12) were refrigerated at 4 degrees C to simulate the postmortem cooling process for 24 h (LISH24) prior to extraction. A rib section anterior to the 12 and 13th rib interface was collected from all animals at the commercial abattoir between 22 and 23 h postmortem for PMLD24, sensory panel, and WBS measurements. A postmortem shoulder muscle sample (PMSH24) was collected at the same time. Calpastatin was extracted from all muscle samples using a heated calpastatin activity protocol. Sensory panel tenderness, WBS, LISH0, LISH24, and PMSH24 were not different between bulls and steers. However, PMLD24 values were significantly different. Significant partial correlations were found between WBS and sensory panel tenderness (-.55), between WBS and PMLD24 (-.43), and between LISH24 and PMLD24 (.78). Therefore, similar calpastatin activity values are possible with ante- and postmortem tissue samples, suggesting the possibility of using measurements from live-tissue biopsies from other than the longissimus muscle to predict end product tenderness.     

The prevalence of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli and antimicrobial resistance patterns of nonverocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella in Ontario broiler chickens.

The prevalence of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli and Salmonella in Ontario broiler chickens was determined by culturing cloacal samples from 500 individual birds selected from 50 poultry farms. Resistance to antimicrobials was determined for each of the isolates. In addition, abattoir and farm-level management data were obtained to evaluate variables that may be considered risk factors for infection. The variables selected included: Percentage of birds condemned at slaughter, percentage of birds dead-on-arrival, bird weight, truck number, farm size, hatchery source, litter source and type, feed source, mortality levels, type of water drinker, water sanitization, down time, barn clean out and history of antibiotic treatment. None of the cloacal samples revealed the presence of verocytotoxin-producing E. coli, though 19/500 (3.8%) contained Salmonella organisms. Nine different Salmonella serotypes were isolated; the most common being S. hadar, S. heidelberg and S. mbandaka. Resistance to tetracycline and streptomycin was common among Salmonella (63%) and E. coli (25.2%) isolates. Resistance to two or more antimicrobials occurred in 420/500 (84%) of the E. coli isolates. No statistically significant associations between abattoir or farm-level management variables and the Salmonella-status of farms were demonstrated.